panorama LADUE HORTON WATKINS HIGH SCHOOL v 1201 S. WARSON ROAD ST. LOUIS, MO 63124 v VOLUME 65, ISSUE 4 12/14/2016
(Photo by Michael Burke)
Diversity desegregation in the 21st century
Read more on pgs. 8-9
Table of Contents 3 News
6 Features
The Staff Editors-in-Chief Copy Editors News Editor Features Editor In-Depth Editor Sports Editors
(Photo courtesy of Grace Crockett)
audrey wang w ART EDITOR
8 In-Depth
12 Sports
Photo Editors Art Editors Business Manager Webmaster Writers
(Photo courtesy of Victoria Goeler)
annie zheng w ART EDITOR
14 Opinions
16 Photo
Photographers Artists Adviser
annie zheng w ART EDITOR
Isabella Fu Aaron Greenberg Julia Biest Sasha Rice Sophia Li Lily Hauptman Katie Bry Glen Morgenstern Sam Shevitz Michael Burke Sophia Garland Audrey Wang Annie Zheng Michael Burke Max Baker Ope Falako Mackenzie HinesWilson Joel Hsieh Felix Hu Grace Kim Albert Liu Jessica Matson Jack Glon Simon Nguyen Aleesha Shi Sarah Semmel
(Photo by Michael Burke)
Our Policy Panorama is a monthly newspaper that strives to inform and entertain students, staff and community members and to uphold professional standards of accuracy and fairness. The publication hopes to engage the student body by eliciting dialogue among our readers. It aims to reflect the diversity of the population it serves and observes the journalistic principle of doing no harm.
Read more online at www.laduelead.com Follow @laduepanorama
Panorama is produced 9 times per school year by the journalism class of Ladue Horton Watkins High School at1201 S. Warson Rd., St. Louis, Missouri 63124. The publication lab is located in Room 216, (314)-993-6447 ext. 5844. Panorama welcomes and encourages letters to the editor. Please bring signed letters to Room 216 or email them to panorama@ladueschools.net. Panorama reserves the right to revise submissions as long as original intent remains unaltered.
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NEWS
Skate at the Steinberg Ice Rink
Watch Saint Louis Ballet's Nutcracker
e When: Nov. 12- Feb. 23
e When: Dec. 16 - 23
e Where: Forest Park
e Where: Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center
e Admission: $7
e Admission: $25 - $69
e Features: Skating lessons, cafe e Noteworthy quality: Largest ice skating rink in the Midwest e Reason to visit: Laugh and hang out with your friends and family.
See the Wild Lights
e Features: Surprise guests e Noteworthy quality: Annual tradition since 2001
Holiday Happenings
e When: Dec. 11 - Dec. 30
e Reason to visit: Enjoy the magic of ballet.
Attend JingleFest e When: Dec. 16
e Where: Saint Louis Zoo
e Where: Family Arena in St. Charles
e Admission: $7 - $10
e Admission: Free
e Features: Light displays, s'mores, ice carvings, carolers
e Features: Nashville musicians
e Noteworthy quality: Entertain kids in the children's corner with games
e Noteworthy quality: Chase Rice and Maren Morris
e Reason to visit: Get into the holiday spirit by walking through the winter wonderland and free entertainment.
e Reason to visit: Discover new country musicians.
3 all art by audrey wang w ART EDITOR
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NEWS
Altruism and athletics: Powder Puff raises $400 Hunger Outreach Project gives back to the community
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sophia LI
news editor
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adue hosted its annual Powder Puff flag football game Dec. 2. The Hunger Outreach Project planned the game to help charities. “The whole focus of the game is to raise money and collect cans for the Jewish Food Pantry, so we always encourage people to donate when they sign up and when they attend the game,” senior and HOP member Jessica Matson said. While organizing the event, HOP members considered multiple concerns to avoid scheduling conflicts. In addition, junior and senior football players coached their respective teams and helped organize strategic plays for the Powder Puff game. “So many people are involved in the event outside the participants, so it can be challenging to get everyone together at the same time,” Matson said. “The thing we take into consideration the most when planning Powder Puff is the date. We always make sure there are no other events going on. We want to get as many people to play as possible.”
This year, 88 people participated in the game, and HOP raised more than $400. The money will be given to the Jewish Food Pantry and St. Patrick’s Center, a place for the homeless to find various resources like food, housing and employment and education opportunities. “Students benefit from Powder Puff because it brings the whole grade together,” senior and HOP member Shirley Gelman said. “The rivalry is really fun, and seeing everyone, even the football players, get involved is great. It’s also great because everyone is having fun by participating but also [by] making a difference here in St. Louis. Just by signing up, $5 go to the Jewish Food Pantry.” To generate more funds for the food pantry, upperclassmen were required to purchase team jerseys for $20. This year’s color scheme was black and pink. “I would say that making the shirts is the most fun part of the whole process, [like] picking the colors [and] deciding what design we should do for the shirts,” senior and HOP member Wendi Medler said. “Plus, I really enjoy selling the shirts during lunches and seeing what numbers certain people get.”
When it comes to school events, Powder Puff is unique in the sense that it incorporates both school service and sports. Flag football was chosen because it allows students to be active while avoiding serious physical contact. Traditionally, it has been just upperclassmen girls who have participated in the annual game. “I have been doing [HOP] for about four years now. I really admire what HOP does,” Medler said. “If students don’t want to participate in the game, [they can] watch and support their grade. Then we [ask] them to donate cans [of food]. I am pleased by how many students participated in the game and their donations this year.” HOP members felt happy with the results of this year’s Powder Puff. They hope to include other school groups like The Sparkle Effect for next year’s game. “I’m proud of [the] members that organized it and worked hard to get everything [done] and all of the students that bought Tshirts since all the money goes to a good cause,” math teacher and HOP sponsor Laura Berns said. “I hope to get even more students involved and also get more students to come watch and collect more donations.”h
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1. CHEERS w Seniors Cloe Frank and Nicole Goeckner encourage
their team. Seniors and juniors were in high spirits during the friendly rivalry game. (Photo by Michael Burke)
2. GROUP HUG w Juniors Olivia Schroder hugs a friend after
scoring a touchdown. The junior team ended up winning with a score of 18-16 . (Photo by Jessica Matson)
3. PLAY BALLw Senior Paris Fedrick protects the ball from junior
Kaylon Buckner. Four rounds of 15-minute games were played. (Photo by Jessica Matson)
Quest for knowledge: news writer
ince June, the Quizbowl team has been writing a new question set called the Ladue Invitational Spring Tournament VI. Questions range from short one-liners to multi-paragraph clues and incorporate concepts ranging from Streptococcus Pyogenes and Zoroastrianism to James Joyce’s “Ulysses.” Each year, Quizbowl competes in approximately 10 competitions. Matches are played in a scholar bowl style, in which teams face one another in a heated buzzer race. To win, the team must buzz and correctly answer questions in categories such as philosophy, math and biology. A set comprises of more than 1,000 questions. Teams spend many hours creating one set. “We’ve been at it for quite some time,” sophomore and
Quizbowl co-captain Raj Paul said. “If everything turns out alright, we will have a good showing this year.” To prepare for writing the set, Paul and sophomore Moses Schindler carefully gathered writers with specific strengths in certain subjects and found schools across the U.S. interested in paying for the rights to use the set in other tournaments. According to Paul, most schools tend to only accept polished sets, so the team worked efficiently to create well-edited questions. Historically, the question set has been an integral part of the club’s tradition. However, it has not been written for the past two years because of unforeseen circumstances. Now, Quizbowl players are seizing the opportunity to bring it back. “It was first written by Ladue alumnus Max Schindler and was well received by many [Quiz-
Ladue’s Quizbowl team returns with a new trivia question set
bowl teams]. We want to live up to that reputation,” Paul said. LIST VI was one of the first house-written sets in Missouri made by active Quizbowl players. Within the first few
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NEWS
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years of its production, LIST VI became one of the most well-regarded student-written question collections. Such grand expectations usually create stress for a team, but Paul said that the stress served only to boost his motivation and ambition. Ladue’s writing team has also found support from Quizbowl
enthusiasts elsewhere. Many nationally-recognized players have offered their services to finalize the project before the first official tournament that uses the list in December. “This experience is nice in that it’s so community oriented,” Paul said. “Writers from schools in Illinois and a few other places have agreed to help us write and edit. It’s really improved our efficiency.” Current Quizbowl members have contacted past LIST writers to help guide the process. Paul cites the assistance of Ladue alumnus Ben Zhang, a college student and a major writer for the 2014 LIST. All of the team’s preparations will lead to a major 2017 event. Ladue will host an invitational Quizbowl playoff April 1. “The main purpose of [the tournament is] generating LIST, and it’s going to be big. Everything needs to be— and will
be— completed to perfection,” Moses Schindler said. The meeting will be comprised of up to 48 teams from Missouri and Illinois and will showcase LIST VI. “It’s important that we are hosting our own tournament,” English teacher and Quizbowl sponsor Jonah Krueger said. “It gives our team extra exposure and motivation that is key to their success.” Ladue Quizbowl members hope all the effort put into LIST VI will be worth it. They also hope to make progress in terms of the team’s skill and growing reputation in the community. “It’s about the hard work in putting together the pieces. I have to say [that] I’m extremely happy with the way that things are turning out, but I’m more excited for the future of LIST VI,” Moses Schindler said. “I’m sure this writing experience will definitely pay off soon. After all, we’re trying to win nationals!”h
What in the world? Looking at big news English artist Helen Marten won the prestigious Turner Prize Dec. 6 for her sculptures and art pieces. She won £25,000.
Ninety-five-year-old John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth in 1962 and a former U.S. Senator, died Dec. 8. in Ohio State University’s James Cancer Hospital.
An airplane crashed Nov. 28 in Colombia, killing more than 70 people. The fatalities included a Brazilian soccer team. Local investigators said the plane had no fuel when it crashed.
High school girls in South Africa began working Dec. 6 on building and launching the continent’s first private satellite to gather agricultural data.
A 6.5-magnitude earthquake hit Indonesia Dec. 7 and killed more than 100 people. Nearby hospitals were also damaged. audrey wang and simon nguyenw ARTISTS
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FEATURES
Orchestrating a future in playing music Ten students play in the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra “[It] is a year-long program and consists of three concert cycles, while All-State is a three-day program ope FALAKO where there are two days of rehearsal and then the perfeatures writer formance,” Hsu said. “The time that you spend with the other musicians in YO is significantly more than the time en Ladue students were chosen to represent spent with other All-State musicians.” the district in the St. Louis Symphony Youth This year, junior Grace Crockett began her second Orchestra. They work to perfect their craft and to year playing the violin in YO. She likes that it provides perform for large crowds three times during the her with the opportunity to play her instrument outside of school year. the classroom. “A lot of the people in YO are looking to pursue music Conductor and composer Leonard Slatkin founded at a professional level,” Crockett said. “Others, like me, the organization in 1970 and united musicians from all around the St. Louis area to play pieces ranging from An- are wanting to play at a higher level just for the fun of playing their instrument. It's not tonín Dvořák’s “New often that we can go perform every World Symphony” to week on a renowned stage and get Leonard Bernstein’s coached by fantastic musicians on “West Side Story.” our performance, both as a group Senior Nathan Hsu and as individuals.” has played cello in YO Crockett describes YO’s audifor the past three years. tion as a nerve-wracking experiNot only has he develence because musicians have to oped as a musician, but play various scales and solo exhe has also grown as cerpts. Furthermore, they must pass a person through the the preliminary and final rounds of YO program, Beyond auditions in order to become a part Rehearsal. Beyond Reof the orchestra. hearsal allows students “The final auditions can get to hear from profespretty daunting, but I find the sionals and trains them STRING OUT LOUD w Playing at Powell Hall, process somewhat enjoyable,” for a music career. the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra members look Crockett said. “You are asked to “In addition to to further their musical abilities. “Some YO musicians walk out by yourself onto the stage orchestra rehearsal, definitely are looking toward careers in music,” junior where the judges sit behind a curBeyond Rehearsal Evyn Levy said. “Some just love to play their instruments tain, so they don't know who you aimed to prepare us and love to be part of a group full of people who feel the for life both on and off same way. Some, of course, fall into both of these catego- are and so you can't know who they are. The benefit for those who have the stage,” Hsu said. ries.” (Photo courtesy of Grace Crockett) been accepted into the orchestra “Students participate and are auditioning to return is that they do not have to in sectionals led by the musicians of the larger orchestra. go through the preliminary auditions.” Individuals play in master classes led by guest artists and Junior Evyn Levy entered YO as a clarinetist this year, work with other STL Symphony staff members to learn and she has loved her experience so far. She played in her about the musician roles beyond just performances.” first concert Nov. 11, and she enjoyed how all the music As opposed to a regular concert hall, students in YO rehearse and perform at the famed Powell Hall. Hsu feels pieces sounded together. “Once I started getting more serious about playing this adds to the experience because it allows him to be clarinet, I started looking into more activities involving closer to his fellow musicians. This differs greatly from music,” Levy said. “I figured out that Youth Orchestra his experience with the Missouri All-State Orchestra.
T
double takes cartoon edition junior Lindsay Rich
“Finding Dory” character Dory
senior Pranay Peddinti
was [what] I was working toward, so that became my goal. We recently had our first concert, and it was an amazing experience.” Ladue Orchestra teacher Twinda Murry expressed her pride in the amount of Ladue students in YO. She believes that the students have an opportunity to significantly improve because they have access to professional conductors and challenging music. “The students get to be with other high-level musicians and challenge themselves to reach a higher level of performance,” Murry said. h
Staff spotlight: Helen Petrofsky
(Photo by Lily Hauptman)
Lily Hauptman: What is your job? Helen Petrofsky: I used to be an assistant librarian for four years, and I knew the person in the tech office was retiring. I had interest in her job. They hired me early for that, so I could train for about six months with the person I replaced. LH: What interested you about the technology job? HP: My background is more tech to begin with. I majored in computer science [and] I’ve worked in different places in tech. When I found out she was retiring, I was very interested. LH: What is the best part about working at Ladue? HP: The people I work with. I enjoy the students an awful lot, too.
We scoured the halls in search of Ladue’s best look-alikes... here’s what we found.
“Phineas and Ferb” character Baljeet Tjinder
teacher Deborah Lund
“The Incredibles” character Edna Mode
(Student photos by Lily Hauptman. Celebrity photos courtesy of movies.disney.co.uk, tatic6.comicvine.com, polyvore.com)
FEATURES
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Winter brings snow and shows: albert LIU
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A winter television premiere preview
features writer
Bones
The Bachelor
A
fter attempting to find love in two seasons of “The Bachelorette” and one season of “Bachelor in Paradise,” technology salesman Nick Viall was nominated as The Bachelor for the show’s 21st season. The show premieres Jan. 2 at 7 p.m. As the runner-up in both Kaitlyn Bristowe and Andi Dorfman’s seasons of “The Bachelorette,” Viall is familiar to most watchers. Fans can expect to find out whether Viall will be able to find love on The Bachelor franchise reality series. This season features 30 girls from all over the country and Canada who will vie for Viall’s attention. The girls’ jobs range from models to small business owners.h
F
(Photo courtesy of abc.go.com)
OX’s popular crime drama series “Bones” revolves around a forensic anthropologist who solves crimes with her FBI partner. Created by Hart Hanson, Bones returns for its 12th and farewell season Jan. 3 at 10 p.m. After special agent Seeley Booth and forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance “Bones” Brennan had a child and Brennan was abducted in season 11, newly decomposed and unrecognizable bodies are found and challenge the couple. Fans can expect to see the aftermath of the kidnapping and to watch Booth and Brennan satiate their appetite for solving crime by using human remains as the roadmap to finding the true criminal.h
Homeland
Grimm
S
I
nspired by classic fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm, NBC’s “Grimm” kicks off its sixth and final season this winter. The show will premiere Jan. 6 at 7 p.m. Portland homicide detective Nick Brundhardt discovers his dual identity as a “Grimm,” a hunter who protects humans from supernatural creatures. However, he finds his jobs conflicting with each other. In the new season, fans will see Brundhardt try to protect his daughter, Adalind, from the power-hungry police captain Sean Renard. In order to establish peace and make sure that Renard does not gain power, Brundhardt will have to work with his allies.h
(Photo courtesy of beetv.me)
howtime’s Emmy Award-winning series “Homeland” returns for its sixth season. The show follows the volatile CIA agent Carrie Mathison as she ensures national security. The series premiere is scheduled to air Jan. 15 at 8 p.m. After Mathison fearlessly risked his life and thwarted an overseas terrorist attack, season six picks up months later with Mathison back on American soil. This season follows Mathison as she tackles the effects of the president-elect and the transitioning government between Election Day and Inauguration Day. In addition to handling these changes, she works with an organization that provides assistance to Muslim-Americans.h
Scandal
(Photo courtesy of directv.com)
Sherlock
A
BC’s hit series “Scandal” returns for its sixth season as Olivia Pope and her team of fellow lawyers, also called “gladiators,” continue to defend the public image of the elite. The season has been officially announced to kick off Jan. 19 at 8 p.m. Last season, President Fitzgerald Grant’s term came to end, yet the political drama continued. Season six picks up with a highly anticipated presidential race. Fans will see the results of the election. Presidential candidate Mellie Grant and vice presidential candidate Jake Ballard will run against presidential candidate Frankie Vargas and vice presidential candidate Cyrus Beene.h
(Photo courtesy of tvline.com)
P
(Photo courtesy of tvguide.com)
BS’s “Sherlock” returns for its fourth season after a nearly threeyear absence. Since the season three finale Jan. 12, 2014, fans have awaited the premiere of the newest, and possibly last, season of the drama show. The miniseries, which includes three 90-minute episodes every season, returns Jan. 1 at 8 p.m. This seasons’ three episodes are called “The Six Thatchers,” “The Lying Detective” and “The Final Problem.” The trailer is a collection of mismatched clues for the upcoming season, leaving fans with questions about Holmes’ future feats. Viewers suspect that Holmes’ enemy Jim Moriarty will be replaced with Culverton Smith.h
(Photo courtesy of MEGASHARE.SU)
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Desegregat i o n
the administrators are really serious about making a resources needed to be successful acachange then they will reach out to these programs.” demically, the measurement of achievement katie BRY Smith added that he supported the students in becomes inequitable,” Lyons said. “I think in-depth editor their ability to voice their opinions about the racial that what we have to do is acknowledge those ore than 60 years after the Supreme Court incidents. However, he would like to see more proinstitutional and systemic practices and deruled that schools should officially be de- active steps to change the environment at the school velop institutional and systemic methods to segregated, schools still suffer the effects by the administration. disorganize and deconstruct those systems left by legal segregation. “What we saw regarding the issues in Ladue that are designed to hold some students “Segregation in itself, as we know, was a stanhasn’t been a hot flash; they have been bubbling behind.” dard that was developed to sustain a certain way of through generations,” Lyons said. “I think we need Freshman Sydney Crump transferred living and to employ practices to allow for specific to be intentional about how we proactively deal to Ladue from Cross Keys Middle classes of people to keep and maintain politiwith these situations– with what conversations are School in the Ferguson-Florissant cal power,” social studies teacher Shante Lyons being held in class, what courses we have that are district. She also noticed a difference said. “In education, legal designed to help in Ladue’s academic rigor compared segregation had its effects: In Ladue the classes are a bit more focused on influence and to that of her old school. after 1954, when Brown inspire the think“I feel like I am more challenged what they are teaching. They didn’t really take v. the Board of Education ing around social at Ladue,” Crump said. “At my old school as serious in Normandy. Maybe that is was passed, the practice justice and with school it was easier, and I feel like because here they instill a future. In Normandy thinking around of segregation [was] still teachers had to accommodate other kids they instill a future too, but we always felt like maintained within public a moral aptitude who were grade levels behind.” schools like Ladue were better than us, and I school systems.” to embrace each Crump also appreciates the availability To specifically address other as human of technology that Ladue students receive. guess we let society’s thoughts about us get recent racial incidents, the beings.” Specifically she believes the iPad issued to us, so it made us not want to do better for Ladue School District held Lyons encourto each student enhances learning. Schools ourselves. senior Shannon Harper a Board of Education meetages thoughtful across the nation spend an average of $334 ing Nov. 15. Junior Brooke conversation in more per white student than per student of Waller attended the meeting with her parents. his African American Studies class. He tries to get other ethnicities, according to american“It was really tense. It was mostly parents, as many students as possible to take his class in progress.org. and they were upset with the administration that order to get many perspectives in discussions and “I feel like it is very important to have they hadn’t done more to eliminate racism in our give students access to the knowledge about the technology because our world is so schools,” Waller said. “Mostly people were telling institutionalized segregation and racism that exists. revolved around it, and it is a very useful personal stories. There were [also] some alumni “It is pervasive in the way we value each other. thing,” Harper said. “It is also helpful from the class of ‘87 there explaining that there We unintentionally label one kid as a city kid, and when you go to college and progress had been incidents even since they had attended she or he is unjustly labelled with having a deficit to the real world and jobs where they Ladue.” in intelligence, limited educational experiences use technology.” Charles Smith was one African-American alumand they are poor and disadvantaged,” Lyons said. Both Harper and Crump also nus from the class of 1987 who spoke up during the “Further, we assume that county kids do not lack noted that Ladue is significantly more Board meeting. He explained that although he had a anything. The interplay between these assumptions diverse than their previous schools. generally good experience attending Ladue, he and exists in schools today and influences how we treat Harper believes that this diversity helps his peers did experience racism in the early years of and see each other as people.” students relate to people who are differhis education. Senior Shannon Harper moved to Ladue when ent than them. “Early on in elementary school, we experienced Normandy High, a school with a 98 percent black “Diversity is in the real world,” Harper a lot of racism and a lot of hatred. We were called student population according to usnews.com, lost said. “You have to learn how to deal with n*****s just to our faces back then,” Smith said. its accreditation as a school in 2013. She noticed other people that are different from you with “They would provoke us, and then if we fought that the classes at Ladue different backgrounds, so back we would be labeled as ‘thugs and animals.’ differed from the ones that coming here was good for Segregation in itself, as we know, Then they would suspend us, and nothing would she took at Normandy. me.” happen to the kids that actually instigated the fight. “In Ladue the classes are was a standard that was develThe NAACP has been I think some of that stuff is still going on today.” a bit more focused on what oped to sustain a certain way of fighting to eliminate In 1979, Smith and his classmates, who were in they are teaching,” Harper discrimination for over living and to employ practices 5th grade, had to transfer from Dielman Elemensaid. “They didn’t really 100 years, according to allow for specific classes of tary to other Ladue elementary schools because its take school as serious in to the organization’s people to keep and maintain 72 percent black enrollment did not meet federal Normandy. Maybe that is website. Locally, political power. diversity guidelines, according to the St. Louis because here they instill a to address the social studies teacher Shante Lyons racial incidents Post-Dispatch. In contrast, the average black enroll- future. In Normandy they ment for Ladue Schools at the time was 8 percent, instill a future too, but we at Ladue, the St. according to school officials. always felt like schools like Ladue were better than Louis County NAACP held a town Smith advised that Ladue utilize an organization us, and I guess we let society’s thoughts about us hall meeting. that could perform a climate and culture survey get to us, so it made us not want to do better for “These systems and structures have which would consist of an evaluation of the wholeourselves.” been married to inherently racist pracsome mentality of students, parents and faculty in The feelings that Harper described from her tice. They have taken generations to build the district. Smith mentioned a specific organization experience at Normandy relate to a larger problem and will take generations to deconstruct,” called the Diversity Awareness Program that could in America– the achievement gap between races. Lyons said. “If we are conscious about perform this survey. Systematic segregation keeps certain races in power those systems and how they counteract the “DAP will take all this information and compile by not giving people of other races the resources progress of marginalized people, we can work it for you, and they will put together a program for they need to succeed, according to Lyons. with detailed strategy and focus to reinstitute you that addresses situations just like this and give “If you disregard someone’s educational acpolicy and practice that are fully inclusionary you the next steps you need to do,” Smith said. “If cess and don’t provide them the information and and equitable for all.” h
M
IN-DEPTH
Ethnic
Hazelw
88% B 9% w 1% A 1% Hisp 1% O
Rockw
rEpreS
Ethnic bre
10th Grade
8
65% 6%
B
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IN-DEPTH
c breakdown of St. Louis school diStrictS
wood
Black
Normandy
white
98% Black 1% White 1% Asian 0% Hispanic 0% Other
Asian
panic
FergusonFlorissant
Pattonville
Other
St. Louis City
Parkway
Clayton
64% White 22% Black 10% Asian 3% Hispanic 1% Other
Kirkwood
wood
Webster Groves
Mehlville
69% White 25% Black 3% Asian 2% Hispanic 1% Other
Ladue
(Source: usnews.com.)
62% White 20% Black 10% Asian 4% Hispanic 4% Other
annie zheng w ART EDITOR
Sentation in Ladue Advanced core coursEs:
eakdown of students enrolled in advanced and AP courses
9th Grade 54% White
28%
8%
5%
Black
White
Black
4%
22% 3%
Hispanic
Other
66% White 17%
Asian
10%
Hispanic
Black 3% Hispanic
4%
Other
55% White 11%
Black
3%
23%
Asian
8%
Hispanic
Other
11th Grade
Asian
Other
12th Grade
5%
Asian
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ProgreSsion of integration Plessy v. Ferguson court decision establishes the “separate but equal” policy for schools in America.
Brown v. Board Education rules that segregation in public schools is inherently unequal and therefore unconstitutional. The Little Rock Nine become the first black students to attend the all-white Central high School in Little Rock, Arkansas. Dwight D. Eisenhower sends in federal troops to ensure school’s integration.
Lyndon B. Johnson signs Civil Rights Act of 1964, which outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin in employment, public facilities and voting registration. The Supreme Court approves busing, magnet schools, compensatory education and other tools as methods to overcome the effect of residential segregation schools. A report by Harvard’s Civil Rights Project suggests that schools in the U.S. are resegregating. The Supreme Court upholds affirmative action in higher education admissions in Grutter v. Bollinger but later concludes that point systems are unconstitutional. The Missouri Supreme Court rules that it is constitutional to allow students from unaccredited districts to attend higher-performing schools and to require that under-performing districts pay for it. The Voluntary Interdisdrict Choice Corporation, a non-profit organization that oversees city to county transfers in St. Louis, may come to an end. (Source: msnbc.com, tolerance.org, stlmag.com and stltoday.com)
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ne minute, thirty-two seconds doesn’t seem like a lot of time, but it’s the difference of a hundred places and a season’s work for sophomore cross country runner Lila Bensky. After an offseason and a season of training, Bensky improved her 5K time enough to move her from 137th at state as a freshman to 37th in Class 4 as a sophomore. However, this success is not a long time coming. PLEDITORS Friday, December 2, 2016 at 1:33:41 PM Central Standard Time
Shoulders and Upper Back: Lat Raises
school athletic career. Bensky, still an underclassman, looks to achieve highly in the future. “Short-term, I really want to make it to state all four years in cross country and hopefully the next three years in track,” Bensky said. “Hopefully, I'll run in college competitively.” Success doesn't happen on its own, however. Relentlessly
How To: Start with legs shoulderwidth apart and a dumbbell in each hand. Lift dumbbells outward until arms are pointed straight out. Return the dumbbells down to side slowly, not dropping too fast.
Biceps: Hammer Curls
Quads and Hamstrings: Dumbbell Step-Ups
3x10 Reps
Step 2: (Photos courtesy of Taylor Korte and by Sophia Garland)
She fell in love with the sport of running and never looked back,” Strayhorn said. Running has affected more than just Bensky’s athletic life; it has influenced her academic and personal lives as well. It has been a positive force of change for her. Sophomore Mya Danforth explained how Bensky has changed since she began running.
Simple Stuff To Look Buff
SS: What is your favorite post-game meal? TK: I like Steak ‘n Shake burgers, milkshakes and fries. SS: Do you have any pre- or post-meet traditions? TK: I have my stretching and arm circles routine, but I usually don’t talk to people before my races. My friends try to come up and talk to me before I race, but I don’t really like to talk to people before I swim.
PUSHING THROUGH w Focusing on her stride, Ladue sophomore Lila Bensky (right) finished 37th in the 5K race at the state championship. (Photo courtesy of Victoria Goeler)
4x30 Reps
How To: Start in front of a box with a dumbbell in each hand. Keeping hands down, step onto the box one leg at a time. After a moment, carefully step back down. Repeat, keeping a slow pace.
Abs and Core: Leg Raises
Step 1:
SS: What is your favorite pump-up song? TK: I like “The Final Countdown,” by Europe
“I was happily surprised,” Bensky said. “I wasn’t really expecting it going into the season, so I was really happy about the outcome.” Bensky’s massive improvement came in only a short span of time. After Bensky joined cross country in eighth grade, coach Matt Strayhorn saw her talent and encouraged her to continue training for high school. “It kind of came out of nowhere,” Strayhorn said. “She went to my cross country camp freshman year, and I encouraged her to run in a 5K race shortly afterwards. At that time, she just got the bug. I talked a lot to her about how, with training, she could do really great things.
4x20 Reps
How To: Start with a dumbbell in each hand. Keep elbows tucked in. While keeping barbells vertical, lift one weight to your shoulder and lower it back to your side. Alternate hands with each lift.
3x10 Reps
Step 2:
SS: What was your favorite memory from swimming at Ladue? TK: My favorite memory was joining the team freshman year. It was a different experience from what I did with club swimming. It was more like a family and less like a competition every day.
training through adversity is key for Bensky. “She trains harder than most girls ever do. She does everything she can to continue to improve,” Strayhorn said. “That takes a lot of offseason training, a lot of strength training and a lot of dedication overall.” Grinding away at the goal is undoubtedly important in achieving success, and a positive attitude greatly contributes to this. Bensky attributes her success to her ability to maintain an extremely focused mindset. “We always say during races that when your mind gives up, your body has 60 percent left,” Bensky said. “That really helps motivate me during races, and just in general, that helped me during training, and it will hopefully help in the next couple of years.” The girls’ cross country team is young as a whole. That’s a good sign for the team, whose underclassmen have the opportunity to turn Ladue into a crosscountry powerhouse. “Our top five varsity girls were four sophomores and one freshman,” Strayhorn said. “In our near future, we’re looking to be district and sectional qualifiers and then move on to state. Hopefully we’ll do some great things at the state meet.” •
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Sam Shevitz: When did you start swimming and what made you start? Taylor Korte: I started in seventh grade because I wasn’t good at any other sports. I hated it at first, but it got better as I kept at it.
“It influenced her perspective on everything,” Danforth said. “She's become more optimistic about situations overall thanks to her determination. She has grown to be a strong, interactive leader that keeps growing as a person.” These traits will help her in the next phases of her high
Step 1:
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O
sports editor
She continued to train the whole summer of 2015.” That's when her athletic career really took off. Bensky overtook the entire Ladue girls’ cross country team and several other teams as she quickly found success in the cross country world. “As a freshman, she was the only girl to qualify for state.
Step 1:
Wednesday, December 7, 2016 at 3:00:26 PM Central Standard Time
glen MORGENSTERN
Step 1:
PLEDITORS
Each month, Panorama sits down with a senior athlete. This month’s featured player is swimmer Taylor Korte.
Sophomore runner Lila Bensky improves to 37th best in state
Step 2:
Senior Sit Down
panorama SPORTS A higher finish, but not finished yet
Step 2:
12
How To: Start holding a pull-up bar with feet off the ground. While keeping the knees together, raise legs to a 90-degree angle. Return back down, keeping knees bent and together. (Photos by Sam Shevitz)
panorama Teachers hit the gym and the books
13
SPORTS
Ladue teachers describe their athletic heydays and knowledge they gained from playing sports Mike Hill: Cheerleading
(Photo courtesy of Mike Hill)
Shante Lyons: Football
(Photo by Isabella Fu)
Lisa Frichtl: Tennis, Track and Field
Panorama: How did you get into cheerleading? Mike Hill: My friend was trying out for the squad but didn’t want to go by himself. I was like, I don’t want to go up there. He says, “Come on, you don’t have to do anything. I feel dumb going by myself.” So I say, “All right,
whatever.” After they started doing some basic things, the varsity cheerleaders taught how to stunt. I thought, Oh, I’ll see what this is about. That got the ball rolling. P: Did a lot of guys try out for cheerleading? MH: You know, not really. Typically, on the male side,
cheerleaders were guys who liked sports, who liked revving up a crowd and got great seats to all of these phenomenal sporting events. If more guys realized the benefits of cheerleading, it would be more of an, “Oh, that might be something I’d try” kind of thing.
Panorama: What position did you play in football? Shante Lyons: I’ve played a multitude of positions. I played on the D-Line in junior leagues and played linebacker, defensive back, wide receiver and quarterback in high school. In college, I played free safety. If I could
do it all over again, I would love to play wide receiver exclusively. P: What was your favorite part of football? SL: I loved the grind. You must work hard for achievement. No matter how many obstacles are in your way, the “grind” outweighs adversity.
P:Did you learn anything by playing? SL: Football taught me discipline, the importance of work ethic and how essential teamwork is. It broadened my worldview about the importance of family. I never expected to gain a band of brothers.
Panorama: How long did you play tennis? Lisa Frichtl: I played all four years of high school. P: What were your favorite parts of tennis and track? LF: Both are team, yet individual sports, which I really enjoyed. You had the
encouragement from your teammates, and you encouraged them, but at the same time you could also succeed as an individual. P: What did you learn in tennis and track? LF: When you’re on a team, you learn to work with people that you may not even
like. My track coach in high school was really big on the whole family aspect. Track meets can last a pretty long time, but after our individual events were over, we had to stay and cheer on every single girl on the team. We came together as a team, and we left together as a team.
Noteworthy Number
14
The number of pounds cut in one day by senior wrestler Leor Goldfarb. Goldfarb wrestles in the 145 weight class and has consistently cut 15-20 pounds in the days preceeding weigh in. “It feels rewarding once you make it [to the 145 weight class], but it is really physically and mentally challenging to get there,” Goldfarb said. “I do it so that I can have the lowest body fat percentage and wrestle at the lowest weight class and have an advantage by being mostly muscle. I sleep with the windows open, the fan on high; I wear a lot of layers, do a lot of running and biking and go to the sauna.”
Mark Your Calendar
(Photo courtesy of Lisa Frichtl)
Date
Time
Sport
Opponent
Location
12/17
9:00 p.m.
Girls’ Swimming
Lindbergh High School
Lindbergh High School
12/22-12/29
TBA
Varsity Boys’ Basketball
MICDS Holiday Tournament
1/09
7:00 p.m.
JV Boys’ Basketball
Kirkwood High School
Kirkwood High School
1/11
5:00 p.m.
Boys’ Varsity Wrestling
U-City High School
U-City High School
1/13
6:00 p.m.
Varsity Girls’ Basketball
Pattonville High School
Ladue High School
1/17
4:15 p.m.
Girls’ Swimming
U-City and McCluer South
Ladue High School
1/18
7:00 p.m.
Varsity Boys’ Basketball
John Burroughs School
Ladue High School
1/20
7:00 p.m.
Varsity Boys’ Basketball
Clayton High School
Ladue High School
1/24
4:00 p.m.
JV Girls’ Basketball
Fox High School
Ladue High School
MICDS
14
The truth about tomboys ann i
A eng w RT ED zh I
R TO
e
katie BRY
A
in-depth editor
s an eight-year-old girl, I learned how to throw a spiral football pass. I was the only girl in my family, and I grew up with three brothers. That meant that, instead of spending my time playing with dolls and dressing up, I chose to play football, basketball and baseball in the living room with my brothers. Looking back, when I played with them, I did not feel like the girl joining in on male activities. I loved playing sports with them, and I felt I had every right to participate as they did. Growing up, sporty girls are often labeled as “tomboys,” which serves to lessen their femininity. I have never liked this term. Although I liked sports more than dolls as a child, I never felt less like a girl, despite what society was telling me. I have grown up since then and solidified my view of my own identity. However, I have also realized how social progression can be hindered by these gender stereotypes. Society tells boys that they can’t like pink or cry because it is weak; it tells girls that they cannot be strong or like superheroes. These generalizations foster the idea that boys are the stronger and more powerful sex. If men believe they are more powerful than women, they may feel entitled to take advantage of women mentally and physically. And how can we refute this if the American legal system sentenced a Stanford student to only three months in jail for sexually assaulting a young woman? In comparison to this punishment, which was the same length as most summer breaks, a minor sale of marijuana, a nonviolent crime, can warrant five years in prison. How can we deny the fact that women are repressed when many people feel they have the right to tell females what to do with their bodies, whether that be in how they should dress or in their decision to give birth? How can we deny this when men in America are still being paid more per dollar than women for the same jobs? How can we deny this when America elected a president who publicly objectified women for over a year on his campaign trail by making misogynistic or objectifying comments toward various women, including Megyn Kelly during the first GOP debate and even his own daughter? Allowing these sexist practices to continue sends a message to young girls that they will never live up to their male counterparts. In a time and feeling of defeat we cannot become discouraged and watch as injustice takes place. Now more than ever, everyone should stand and fight for gender equality. Granted, change will not be immediate, but it does not necessarily need to be. The movement toward gender equality begins with an attitude change about gender views or simply voicing an opinion about current gender injustices. We will never truly be a nation of justice and equality until we are able to address these issues and take action against them. To idly sit by and sweep gender inequalities under the rug is not a solution; it's the problem.h (This column represents the opinion of the writer)
panorama
OPINIONS
Staff Editorial A message to those disappointed by the election
Panorama never endorsed a particular candidate for the 2016 presidential election. While many newspapers did provide recommendations to help citizens decide how to vote, Panorama chose instead to remain impartial. This being said, it is obvious that much of our community is upset by the outcome of the election, which is fair. According to a poll from Panorama’s Oct. 12 edition, 52 percent of Ladue students supported Hillary Clinton for president, whereas 14 percent supported Donald Trump. Particularly in this election– the most dramatic, bloodthirsty and historic cycle of our young memories– emotions ran high on both sides, and empirically, more than half of voters were disappointed by the result. That’s why now, a month after the election, Panorama wants to take a chance to specifically address those who feel cheated, threatened or disillusioned by the Nov. 8 election. In recent weeks, negativity toward our country has run rampant. People believe that democracy has failed them. It’s important to remember, however, that our democracy has stood for 240 years; it will stand for four more. It is important to note that many Americans supported Trump’s economic goals, not his social ideas. Trump’s guarantee to keep manufacturing jobs within the U.S. is enticing, and the Republican principle of low taxes and small federal government do legitimately appeal to a large portion of our country. These valid policy goals do not, however, excuse blatant racism and intolerance, of which Trump is unequivocally guilty. Trump’s proposed ban on Muslim immigrants is reminiscent of World War II-era policy, and his lashing out at the Muslim family of a fallen American soldier does not represent presidential
behavior. Even Speaker of the House of Representatives Republican Paul Ryan condemned many of Trump’s actions, although he ultimately voted for him. This brings us to our overarching message: Americans who feel dissatisfied have the privilege and the duty to do what is right until justice is achieved. It is true that many goals of both Trump and the Republican Platform aim to take away fundamental rights of different minority groups. That is why individual Americans are– and have been since our country’s inception– bound to the task of ensuring that these rights are guaranteed to everyone, race, religion, gender and sexual orientation notwithstanding. If we don’t like the policies in place, we fight until they are changed. Every cause experiences setbacks. If president-elect Trump is a setback for your cause, don’t give up. Fight harder. In a recent interview with International Business Times, TV personality Nick Cannon claimed that he’s happy that racism in America has been exposed by Trump and Trump supporters who endorsed Trump’s racist remarks. “People can no longer say racism doesn’t exist in America,” Cannon said. “Because it clearly does, and it was clearly shown in this election.” Cannon is right. Now that racism can no longer be denied, we are more able as Americans to tackle it headon. We no longer carry the burden of proving its existence before we fight it. As Americans, it is our job to protect ourselves and each other. That’s why it is vital now more than ever that we remember who we really are as a country– what we’re about– because what we’re about is justice. h
(Unsigned editorials reflect the majority opinion of the Editorial Board.)
aleesha shi w ARTIST
Are truancy consequences too harsh?
YES
Current punishments are not constructive
mackenzie HINES-WILSON
opinions writer
isabella FU
editor-in-chief
I
magine a kid who’s bullied and skips class to avoid more torment or a kid with a health problem who has difficulties attending a full day of school. Should children like these be punished for missing school? Truancy is when a child has exceeded a certain number of absences or dropped out of school, making him a student with illegitimate reasons for not attending school, according to mdcourts.gov. Truancy is punishable in different ways according to the state and school. In most cases, schools contact truancy officers and file a report to a truancy court; parents may also be required to pay fines or serve jail time. Although some students do miss class for illegitimate reasons, such as wanting to hang out with friends or not wanting to attend a certain class, many students miss school because of actual issues. Research by Robert Balfanz of Johns Hopkins University has shown that 15 percent of students miss school more than two days a month. A quarter of these students are avoiding a negative stimulus like a bully or a disliked teacher. Another quarter of students miss school because their families can’t afford transportation or they must care for relatives. This is also the main reason why truancy tends to disproportionately affect lower income students. The less money a student’s family has, the fewer resources it has to avoid or address some of these behavioral and family problems, according to Joanna Heilbrunn, director of the National Center for School Engagement.
NO
Truancy laws severely affect parents as well. In Pennsylvania, Eileen DiNino, the mother of two teenage boys, had to serve two days in prison because her family couldn’t afford the truancy fines, according to newrepublic.com. DiNino suffered from a number of health issues and couldn’t afford the high blood pressure medication she needed. The stint in jail was too much on her heart, and she died in prison. While this is definitely an extreme example, it does show how the consequences of truancy are unfairly hurled upon the parents. Instead, a more productive, wholesome approach should be taken to provide families with the resources to educate their children. Given these circumstances, threatening kids and their families with law enforcement, fines and jail is not productive– if anything, it’s counterproductive. Levying a fine does nothing to remove any of the barriers that might be preventing a student from attending school. What’s important is not how kids are skipping school but why they’re doing so. With that in mind, truant students should be referred to pre-court interventions, which have been shown to be effective in curbing truancy, according to The Guardian. These programs typically involve connecting the truant student’s family with a social worker who can make a personal connection with the family, find the issue and get them the help they need. Rather than strenuously punish students’ families for a generally benign offense, schools should work to improve the availability of suitable resources. They need to help the students who are struggling to attend class on a daily basis. This would allow the child to attend school and receive instruction time. h
Kids should learn the importance of education grace KIM
opinions writer
E
15
panorama
OPINIONS
ducation is key to future success, so it’s important that students take full advantage of it. However, many students commit truancy, the act of exceeding a certain number of absences or dropping out of school for illegitimate reasons. Truancy is an offense and not a criminal act because it only applies to minors, and schools aren’t legally required to report truancy to the police. However, recognizing the importance of education, schools should use force if that’s what it takes to resolve the issue. The primary motivation behind this statement is that truancy is more than just a simple attendance problem. Those who skip school are at risk for further issues that can gravely inhibit their future success. According to strategiesforyouth.org, truancy is a predictor of substance abuse, teen pregnancy and social isolation. Without any legal consequences, students may find it easier to continue skipping school, thus opening up new possibilities to fill their time with other dangerous activities. Truancy also has repercussions far beyond the individual and can affect the overall success of other students, schools and communities. Because students are especially prone to external influences, isolated cases of truancy may cause others to follow as well. According to the American Bar Association, 60 percent of juvenile crime in Contra Costa County, California occurred between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. on weekdays when students should’ve been in school, despite the fact that
most, if not all, of those schools punish truant students. Evidently, mere school consequences are not enough to curb truancy. In order for there to be a greater impact on this issue, schools need to report truancy to the police. Involving law enforcement may seem excessive; however, in many cases, it is the most effective way to resolve the issue. Police can communicate with students about why they’re missing school and help them improve their attendance. More importantly, the police can refer them to facilities that specialize in helping truant students. These facilities, called truancy centers, offer mentoring, counseling and academic help. In St. Louis, truant students are referred to a voluntary diversion program designed to improve the school attendance of the referred juveniles. The program offers individual and family counseling, tutoring, respite, life skills groups and parental support for both parents and students. In addition, deputy juvenile officers provide case management services, regular school visits and home visits. This program, called the St. Louis Truancy Initiative Project, improved the attendance of over 60 percent of the kids who were in the program, ultimately “saving” over 19,000 days of attendance, according to St. Louis Public Radio. By focusing on rehabilitative help, truancy centers instill the importance of education and the future in their students. Though truancy may seem like a simple issue of missing school, its implications and consequences have a much greater impact than many may think. Solving this problem requires the involvement of external forces, such as law enforcement and truancy centers, which can help truant students better understand that education can help them lead a more successful life. h
Polls of the People How do you feel about the election results? Read more about the election on pg. 14.
Upset 29%
Shocked 25%
Sad 8% 15% Happy
23% Neutral
How often do you miss school? Read more about truancy on this page.
48% 40
30
25% 20
19%
18%
10
9% 4%
0
Never
4%
1-2 1-2 times 3-4 times 5+ times times a a month a month a month semester
What is your favorite thing to do over Winter Break? Read more about this on pg. 3 and pg. 16.
27% of students said catch up on sleep 24% of students said travel 22% of students said celebrate a holiday 22% of students said chill with friends 5% of students said ‘other’
(Survey based on 265 people sampled)
16
panorama
Bored Over Break?
S
ome people spend Winter Break skiing the slopes of Aspen, others flock to Florida and the rest of us have what we reluctantly label a “staycation.” Most staycationers are probably already planning what show to binge-watch over break from the comfort of their own homes. While some R&R is definitely well-deserved after a stressful month and a hectic finals week, the “eat, Netflix, sleep, repeat” routine can get old quickly. Here are some suggestions of where to eat, shop and find entertainment in St. Louis when you get sick of clicking that "Play Next Episode" button.h
1. BURRITOS, QUESOS, TACOS, OH MY!hQdoba doesn’t
charge extra for queso and guacamole on their entrées, justifying the almost $2 more expensive price compared to other fast casual Mexican restaurants. Their menu, complete with taco salads, soups, nachos and the typical burritos, tacos and quesadillas, is sure to please all of your friends. Try one of their two new quesos, buffalo bacon or verde, and a chicken quesadilla with all the fixings.
PHOTO michael BURKE photo editor
Check out LadueLead.com for more photos and stories online.
1
2. YOU'LL BE GLAD YOU THAI'D THIShOne of the Loop’s hidden treasures is
Thai Gai Yang Cafe, nestled at 6250 Delmar Blvd. On their menu you can find an assortment of Thai-style dishes, including noodle soups, curry plates and fried rice. Try their delicious crab rangoons as an appetizer and the ice cream with fried banana for dessert. If you’re lost in the long menu, get their popular rice noodle chicken Pad Thai, one of the best in St. Louis.
2
4
3. MOVIE MAGIChTake
3
5
4. CAN WE GO THRIFT SHOPPING?hThe Loop’s
premier and only thrift shop is Avalon Exchange, with racks and racks of used clothes ranging from jean, leather and windbreaker jackets to sneakers, holiday sweaters and vintage tees. The counter houses several jewelry pieces. Prices vary, but they hover around $5 to $35. 5. WINTER MUSICLANDhStop by Vintage Vinyl at 6610 Delmar Blvd. to get in the spirit with a new or used holiday CD.
a break from your local movie theater and catch “Nocturnal Animals,” a romantic thriller starring Amy Adams and Jake Gyllenhall, now playing at one of the Tivoli’s three theaters. Or head to an AMC or Wehrenberg theater to watch “Arrival,” the creative and touching alien invasion sci-fi drama also starring Adams, or “Allied,” a fantastic WWII-era spy film with Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard. Also in theaters is “Moana,” Disney’s latest animated offering, which features their first Polynesian princess. “Rogue One,” the new Star Wars film about an unlikely band of heroes on their quest to steal the plans to the Death Star, comes out Dec. 16.
6
6. LET IT SNOWhAny teen watching their friends’ Snapchat
stories in the past month couldn’t avoid seeing someone scrape ice cream off a cold metal circular plate into a perfect rolled form. The refreshingly unique Thai pan-fry ice cream, created right in front of customers for $6.49 a cup, is the signature style of the Loop’s Snow Factory Ice Cream Shop, a hot spot recently opened by Van Liu, a 23-year-old native of China who brought this Asian trend to St. Louis.